The present invention relates generally to the field of semiconductor reliability monitoring. More specifically, the invention relates to circuits designed to detect whether a semiconductor chip has been used before.
The distribution of counterfeit semiconductor chips has become a serious and prevalent issue in recent years. The fear is that these counterfeits (particularly, used and relabeled commercial gear or components falsely labeled as military grade) will fail more quickly than the parts they are standing in for.
To prevent circulation of these types of semiconductor chips, various devices and methods have been created to determine the viability of the chip itself. Prior devices have focused on electromigration. Electromigration in an integrated circuit occurs whenever current flows through wires, and over time, eventually leads to an open circuit.
Prior methods and devices focus on predicting long-term failure of the chip, often times describing a method to monitor or predict circuit degradation with an on-chip monitor. However, none of these previous attempts provide a quick and reliable way to signal to a user that it has received a counterfeit chip, or a chip that has been previously used. In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for a device that provides simple, quick and effective detection of the chip's viability.